Taiwan seeks UN membership as row with Beijing simmers on

Taiwan has filed a fresh demand for a seat at the United Nations, an official said yesterday, in a move likely to further antagonise severely frayed relations with Beijing.

Taipei made the new proposal through its allies, demanding representation under the name of "Republic of China (Taiwan)", a foreign ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The proposal underscores equal sovereignty with China," the official said.

The move comes a week after President Chen Shui-bian provoked a venomous attack from Beijing by calling for a referendum on the island's future.

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In its bid to secure a UN seat, Taiwan insisted its 23 million people were unrepresented in the global body and called for a resumption of dialogues and peaceful settlement of the lingering disputes with China.

Observers said the new bid will rattle the nerves of Beijing as the row over Chen's referendum call rumbles on.

They said it remained to be seen if a key reaction from Washington would be forthcoming.

US officials previously backed Beijing's "one China policy" in 1999 when they were caught off guard by a controversial statehood claim by then Taiwan president, Lee Teng-hui.

Beijing has blocked nine previous attempts by Taiwan to join the UN since 1993.

Ties between Taipei and Beijing plummeted to a new low this week after Chen made his referendum demands in a video conference speech to Taiwanese independence activists meeting in Tokyo.